To Speak With the Dead
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: In '91, the two youngest Lupo siblings disappeared. Nearly 20 years later, a woman's found wandering the forests of Eureka; claiming she's Jo. As she tries to build a life, she's no idea the reprecussions her reappearance will do to a town buried in grief- or how violent her presence will rip open wounds/long buried secrets of a once tightknit family.
1. Chapter 1

**To Speak With the Dead**

**Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

**Summary: In 1991, the two youngest Lupo siblings disappeared from a movie theater. They never came home, and no bodies were found for their family to bury. Nearly twenty years later, a disoriented young woman is found wandering the forests surrounding Eureka; claiming to any who will listen that she's Jo, the younger of the two missing teens. Nothing supports her story, and every answer she gives leads to dead end leads- from a defiled grave to a boy missing thirty years prior. She knows things about that day, and as she tries to build a life in Eureka, she has no idea what the reprecussions of her reappearance will do to a town long buried in their grief- or how violent her very presence will rip open the wounds and long buried secrets of a once tightknit family.**

She stumbled, tripping over the branch, her jeans becoming soaked in blood from the open gash on her leg. She looked behind her, though she was alone, she felt a presence around her, watching her. Brushing her hair out of her face, she climbed to her feet and continued through the forest, dodging low hanging branches and the forest sounds chasing after her. Fear crept over her, blanketing her shoulders like a cloak, steeping her in a scent that flooded her senses.

Finally, after hours of running, she caught sight of a road, not far in the distance. Weak from exposure, she stumbled towards it, losing her footing and hitting the ground, forcing herself to crawl towards the asphalt. Once there, she managed to pick herself up and stagger into the middle of the road-

The screech of tires and the blare of a horn drowned out her scream, but did nothing to deafen the impact as her slender body hit the windshield.

* * *

She awoke, in a bed, connected to wires and surrounded by monitors. The familiar quiet that befalls a hospital in the late hours after the rush settled around her, and she pushed herself onto her elbows, looking around. She was alone.

"You're awake." Her head snapped up and she looked towards the doorway; an older man was silhouetted in the faded light of the hall, and after a moment, he pushed away from the door, coming to her bed. She backed up, but he held up his hands. "I won't hurt you. I promise."

"Wh... who are you?" He sighed, taking a seat on the chair by her bed.

"Sheriff Carter." She nodded, finally seeing the badge glinting in the reflective light over her bed. Her gaze moved around; this was an odd looking hospital.

"Where am I?"

"You're in Eureka." She turned back to him.

"Eur-what?" He chuckled softly at her confused look.

"Eureka, Oregon. We... found you wandering in the forests around town. You'd... wandered onto the road and... were hit by a car. A few scrapes, a couple broken ribs and some swelling, but you'll be fine." She nodded, not trusting her voice. "Normally, I'd come back in the day and do this, but I told Allison that I'd look over you, so we might as well get this over with." He pulled a notepad out of his pocket. "What's the last thing you remember?" She swallowed.

"Um... I... seeing a... car coming... towards me..." He nodded, writing it down.

"Uhuh. And... where are you from?"She thought a moment. The answer was niggling at her brain, it rested on the tip of her tongue, waiting for her to open her mouth.

"J... Jersey." She looked up at him; he nodded, writing it down.

"How old are you?"

"A... I... I was born in... ni..." She swallowed. "Nineteen-seventy-nine." He nodded.

"And-" The questioning went on for several minutes, before he finally asked, "One more, and then I'll leave you alone to get more sleep. Okay?" She nodded. "What's your name?" She thought a moment, licking her lips.

"A... Jo." The sheriff's head snapped up, and she slowly turned to look at him. "Jo Lupo."

* * *

"Josefina Charlotte Lupo- born October Thirty-first, Nineteen-Seventy-Nine in New Jersey. She disappeared with her older brother Luca, in the summer of 'ninety-one. He was fourteen, she was twelve. They went to the movies in their hometown, and never came home. It was suspected that... maybe a drifter took them and buried the bodies, but nothing ever came of it; and at one point, we even thought they were victims of the BTK killer, but... that was just a dead end. There were... other leads, but... nothing ever turned up anything. Eventually, the Lupo disappearances went cold." Allison glanced at Henry. They, Fargo, Henry's wife Grace, and Zane Donovan- Eureka's resident particle psychist and troublemaker- were all gathered in Fargo's office, listening as Carter went over the evidence from a case that had plagued him since his time as a marshal.

"But... how... "

"You know an awful lot about this case, Jack." Henry cut Allison off. The Sheriff sighed.

"I... I was twenty-two when they went missing. I worked the case- searching nationwide, but... it's haunted me ever since." He watched the others turn their gazes to the photographs of the teens- both clean-cut, all-American, with bright smiles and dimples in their cheeks. Dark-eyed, dark-haired teens, with a love of life-

"If... if she's really the girl, then... then she'd be in... in her thirties. Jack, can you be _sure_ this woman is her?" Allison asked, picking up the photograph of a twelve-year-old Josefina Lupo, smiling at the camera, long dark hair over her shoulder in a ponytail. A chill ran up Allison's spine; she looked so like Jenna- happy, always smiling. She couldn't imagine the agony her parents had gone through when she and her older brother Luca, disappeared.

"If she is that missing girl," Zane started. He glanced over at everyone, before taking the photograph from Allison. "Then where's her brother? Why isn't he with her? Why did they disappear in the first place?"

"Why did Natalee Halloway go missing in Aruba? Or the Springfield Three? Why was Steven Staynor killed in a motorcycle accident years after being found? Why was Amber Hagerman murdered, or JonBenet Ramsay? Why are children taken from their homes, from shopping malls, walking home from school? Why was Jaycee Lee taken walking to the school bus? And she was one of the rare cases- found after eighteen years, _alive_. To be found alive after years- in the world of missing children cases, that's a miracle. Jaycee was lucky." He shrugged. "No one knows why, it just happens."

"Why didn't her parents ever declare them dead?" Fargo asked. Carter sighed.

"Declaring... loved ones dead is... it's a process that can do more harm than good. It's... essentially a way of giving up. Their mom died in 'eighty-seven from ovarian cancer, and their dad... he couldn't do that without tearing the remainder of his family apart."

"So... what do we do with her now?" Zane asked, never taking his eyes off the girl in the photograph. Carter shrugged, looking out the window towards the hall that led to the infirmary.

"We keep her here until we figure out if she's telling us the truth."


	2. Chapter 2

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

"You okay?" Carter looked up. Zane leaned against the wall of Fargo's office, hands in his pockets. "That bad?"

"This case... she was just a child when she and her brother disappeared. It... gripped the nation's attention for months- every lead was followed, every dead end documented. If this girl is who she says she is, then we've solved at least part of one of the greatest missing children cases in American history." Zane nodded, watching Carter lean his head on his knuckles. The older man glanced down at the photograph of Jo, before grabbing the box that housed her case file. Her case had haunted his dreams, his life, his career for the past twenty years- a small part of him hoped that she was telling the truth. Zoe had been two months old when the Lupo children disappeared, and he remembered holding her tight, thanking God he had his daughter in his arms. He had prayed they'd find them alive, but nothing had ever come of it-

Now, maybe something finally had.

"Where are you going?" Zane asked, as Carter moved past him, the box and photograph in his hands. Carter turned to him.

"If she really is this girl, then I need to get her back to her family, and find her brother. It was my job, to find them, and I failed; if I can make some sort of amends- even twenty years later- if I can give her back some semblence of her life, I'm going to." Zane sighed, following.

* * *

She looked up, her fingers finally stopping their relentless picking of her arms. The sheriff stood at her bedside, a young man with him. A moment passed, before the sheriff took a seat and set the box on the floor. He pulled something out of it, setting it down beside her on the blankets. "Jo, can you tell me anything else? Anything you remember?" She glanced at the things he'd laid out before her.

"What's all this?"

"This... is your case file." She looked up at him.

"Case file?" He nodded.

"Yes. You... you were... missing for... twenty years, Jo. This... is everything we collected in the search for you and your brother." Slowly, she reached out, picking up an evidence bag. On closer inspection, she saw a bracelet- green and blue sea glass beads on a brown leather strap. Even through the plastic of the evidence bag, the feel of the beads was familiar.

_"Dad picked this up for me in Spain. He said he bought it from a woman who owned a little hole-in-the-wall shop." _

_"It's so pretty, Josie!" _

_"Did you wish you could have gone with him?"_

"Da... my... my dad... brought this... back for me from... from Barcelona. He... bought it from a... a lady who... who owned a... a hole-in-the-wall shop. He... came back from... Spain two weeks before... before Easter... and.. gave it to me..." She looked up at them. "I... I haven't seen this in... in years..." Carter nodded. He glanced down at the notepad in his hands.

"Your... older brother Davie said that... when he dropped you and Luca off at the movie theater, you were wearing that bracelet. Do you... have any idea how you came to lose it?" She shook her head.

"It... it must have... slipped off..."

"We found it in the... lobby of the movie theater." Jo nodded, handing it back to him and laying her head back on the pillow. Zane watched her; she glanced at him, her dark eyes alighting briefly with curiosity before turning back to Carter. "Do you... remember what happened that day? After the movie? What did you and Luca do?" She swallowed, glancing at Zane again, her eyes locking with his. Her eyes closed briefly, and she took a deep breath.

"We... we left the movie and... went out into the lobby... we'd gone to see... Terminator Two." She swallowed, her dark eyes shifting briefly to Carter before going back to Zane. "I like action movies." Carter nodded, catching the small smile Zane gave her, that she returned.

_"Can we go get ice cream, Luca?" He shook his head. _

_"No, Josie, Dad said that we have to go walk straight home from the movies. No shortcuts and no ice cream. But we can do ice cream tomorrow." She sighed, reaching up to brush away a loose strand of hair that had fallen from her ponytail. She didn't notice how loose her bracelet had been tied, or that it had fallen to the red carpet, as they moved through the lobby._

_"But I want ice cream. Don't you, Luc?" He sighed, rolling his eyes. "We pass right by Mr. Kinney's Ice Cream Parlor on our walk home? Can't we? Please?" He thought a moment, then sighed._

_"All right. I won't tell Dad if you won't." She grinned._

_"Thank you, Luca!" Then, she grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the doors, and they disappeared out into the night._

She took a deep breath. "We... I... I convinced Luca to... to stop at... at Mr. Kinney's for ice cream..."

"And it was on your way home?" She nodded. Carter quickly jotted down the name, determined to locate the man who'd owned the parlor back in 'ninety-one and talk to him. "Jo, do you remember anything else from that night?" She shook her head.

"Not right now, sorry." He nodded.

"Carter, she's tired. Let her rest for a while. You can finish your questioning later." He looked up to see Allison at his other side. A moment passed, before he nodded and took the bracelet and returning it to the evidence box. Then, he packed up the rest of the evidence and put it in the box before getting up.

"I'll let you get some rest, come back later." She nodded.

"Sheriff?" He turned back; she looked so small, a child, frightened and alone. "When can I go home to my dad?" His heart dropped into his toes.

* * *

He watched her; before taking a seat in the the chair Carter had vacated earlier. Slowly, she turned to him, her dark eyes slowly opening. He held out the coffee cup, and she took it. "Picked this up at Cafe Diem. Vincent makes the best vinspresso in town." She took a sip.

"Thank you." He nodded. "Who are you?"

"Zane Donovan. I work here... particle phsycist." They sat in silence for several minutes. "So... do you really not remember what happened to you?" She shook her head. "So... what do you want to do with you life?" She shrugged.

"I... I don't know. I... I would like to... hopefully... fall in love and... start my own family. After returning to mine, first. I want to see my dad and my brothers."

"And then start a new life?" She nodded.

"Yeah. And then start a new life."


	3. Chapter 3

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

"Your vitals are good-"

"Can I go home now? I want to see my dad." Allison sighed, taking a seat on the bed beside Jo.

"Not yet. We need to keep you here a while longer, Jo."

"But-"

"Your dad gave us permission. He doesn't want you back until you're healthy. You've had quite a shock to your system- being found in the woods. Be patient. Okay?" She nodded, as Allison reached out and patted her hand. The doctor got up, seeing Carter leaning against the doorframe. "I'm going to have a few more tests run. Janie will take care of you." Jo nodded; quickly, Allison made her way to Carter, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the hallway near the infirmary.

"Find out anything else, Carter?" Allison asked, he shook his head.

"Dead ends mainly. I checked on the manager of the theater they disappeared from, but the man we'd taken the statment from that night is dead. I haven't had a chance to run a check for the owner of the ice cream parlor." He glanced at Jo, before turning to Allison. "How is she?" The older woman sighed.

* * *

"She was_ what_?"

"Raped. Multiple times." Zane sat heavily on the sofa in Fargo's office; the director himself looked sick. Carter sat at Fargo's desk, the evidence spread out before him, hands folded, fingers steepled. He was silent; Henry leaned against the railing, back to the window, and Grace sat in one of the chairs across from Carter. "There's even evidence of possible sodomy. Whoever took this girl-"

"Tortured her." Carter finished. Everyone turned to look at him. "It's not uncommon, in cases like this. Often, abducted children are abused in every form before being killed. Sometimes they fight. Sometimes they don't. Jaycee didn't. It doesn't mean she gave up hope, she just stopped fighting to protect herself and the daughters that _bastard_ fathered. If you have the will to fight, then you have the will to survive, even when you stop fighting." He glanced up at everyone. "Steven Stayner stopped fighting, and when he had the chance, he got himself and Timmy White out; sometimes, the only thing you can do is stop fighting. It's usually the only thing that can keep you alive." He turned his gaze back to the evidence spread out before him. A moment passed, before he picked up the photographs taken from the movie theater's security cameras. Images of the two teens in the lobby, leaving the theater...

Nothing was connecting.

"So... she's not only emotionally damaged, she's... physically damaged..." Zane whispered.

Pedophiles in the 'nineties often got away with it, because they weren't registered. I can only imagine what those two children went through." Carter choked out, just as Allison's phone started beeping. She grabbed it; the color drained from her face.

"It's Jo. I've got to get down there." She rushed from the office, leaving the others to slowly catch up. Carter was on his feet in minutes, chasing after her. When they got to the infirmary, it was to a pair of orderlies, attempting to restrain a struggling Jo. She had climbed out of the bed, ripping the needles and wires, causing the alarms to blare- and was currently curled up in the door to Allison's office, holding a pair of scissors like a knife. She screamed at them, slashing out every time they attempted to get close. "What's going on here?" The orderlies turned to her.

"We caught her trying to sneak out of the infirmary, Dr. Blake. When we went to restrain her, she grabbed a pair of scissors and started slashing out at us. She won't let us get close. We've tried everything we can think of." Allison sighed, moving quickly towards Jo, but she stopped when the girl lashed out, narrowly missing her with the scissors.

"Get away from me!"

"Jo, I need you to put the scissors down, okay?" Allison asked.

"I want to go home! I want my dad!" She cried, pushing herself further against the locked door. "Get away from me!" A moment pased, before both Zane and Carter knelt down. Carter glanced at Zane, confusion on his face. The younger man shook his head; all he cared about was protecting the young woman before him.

"We'll take you home soon, Jo, but we need to figure a few things out first. Okay?" Carter asked.

_"I want my dad!"_ She cried, pushing herself further into the locked door. Carter nodded.

"I know. And he wants you back with him too, but it's going to be a while. You have to be patient. Now give me the scissors, Jo. Please." Slowly, Carter crawled towards her, holding his hand out. "We'll get you back to your family as soon as possible, but we have some loose ends to tie up first. Okay?" A moment passed, before she dropped the scissors, burying her face in her hands. Carter snatched up the scissors and handed them to Allison, before slowly turning back to the girl. "It's o-" His words were cut off as she launched herself at him, wrapping her slender arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder, sobbing.

He sat back on his butt, Jo in his lap, and his arms went around her, tangling in her raven hair. He listened to her sobs, his heart breaking at the pain she was in. For some reason, she felt safest in Sheriff Carter's arms- perhaps it was because he was a law enforcement officer, or a because he had the air of fatherhood about him- but whatever the reason, twenty-some years after her disappearance, she felt protected. Carter took a deep breath, pressing a kiss to her head.

* * *

"You did a brave thing today, Carter." He turned, from his post by Jo's bedside, to see Henry standing behind him. "She could have really hurt someone, and you talked her out of it." Carter sighed, turning back to the sleeping young woman at his side.

"She's scared, Henry. Scared and alone and lost in a world that's changed since she disappeared. She was twelve-years-old when she went missing... I can't imagine what she went through, and then to... find yourself in the infirmary of a strange builiding, in a strange town, surrounded by people you don't know, after_ twenty years_... if Zoe were going through what she's going through..." He reached out, taking her hand. She shifted in her sleep.

"She'll get through it, Jack. You said it yourself, she has the will to fight."


	4. Chapter 4

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

******A/N: Yes, this story is largely Jo/Carter father-daughter relationship- because he feels responsible for not finding her sooner. And the romantic pairing, if you haven't guessed, is of course Jo/Zane.**

_He grabbed her, throwing her to the ground. She crawled back, sobbing, begging him to leave her alone._

She shifted, pushing the blankets off herself.

_He held her against the wall, hand tight around her throat, as he parted her legs._

She whimpered in her sleep, choking out a sob.

_A burning pain filled her, and she looked up into his cold grey eyes..._

A scream brought Carter from the infirmary's lobby; he barreled into the area, the sleep and confusion quickly leaving him as his eyes landed on Jo. She was struggling against the interns, sobbing, begging. The sheriff was at her bedside in seconds, pulling one of the interns away from her and taking a seat across from her on the bed._ "Jo. Jo! Calm down! It's me! It's Sheriff Carter!"_ A glimmer of recognition filled her gaze, before she threw her arms around him, her sobs ripping at his heart. "Shh, it's okay, Jo. It's okay. I'm here, I won't let them hurt you." He glanced up, nodding for them to back up, and they did, one of them running to call Dr. Blake. Once they were gone, he reached up, tangling a hand in her hair. "Shh. I'm here, Jo. I'm right here."

* * *

"What the hell happened?" Allison asked, pulling the curtain around Jo's bed and leading Carter into the lobby. Zane and the others were there, all waiting for her to tell them what had gone wrong. Carter sighed, glancing back at the small curtained room.

"Look, all I know is that I woke up to her screaming. I went in, and two of your interns were trying to hold her down and sedate her. She was begging, but I didn't catch for what. Once I sat down in front of her, she latched onto me like a leech."

"To stop." Everyone turned, to see one of the interns in the doorway.

"What?" Carter asked. The intern sighed.

"She was begging us... to stop." He said, swallowing.

"Stop what?" Grace asked. A look of fear passed over the young man's face.

"To stop raping her. To leave her alone. To not touch her." Tears slid down his cheeks, and he turned back to the curtained room. "She looked so scared... I can't even _imagine_ what that girl went through... for twenty years... the abuse she must have suffered. The sexual assault, the torture... the rape and sodomy... the physical and mental and emotional abuse... how did she survive?" Carter looked up, to find the intern meeting his eyes. "How does someone- especially a child- survive something like that? How do they survive being raped and beaten and tortured every day for twenty years, and not.. snap and kill their captor... or themselves? How, Sheriff?"

Carter shook his head. "I... I don't know, Cooper. I've been asking myself that since the day she disappeared." The intern sniffled, turning back to watch the curtains.

"She's so damaged. It's like... like he broke her spirit, and... and she has no choice but to... to remain loyal to him."

"What are you talking about?" Allison asked.

"When we asked her who she was begging, she screamed that she'd never tell. That she'd never... never betray him... if only so she could survive. It's almost like... like she's... like he's... a part of her..."

"Stockholm sydrome." Carter whispered. "It's a... type of psychological disorder where a captive exhibits empathy or sympathy for their captor. It's not uncommon in kidnapping or abduction cases- especially ones where children were held in captivity. Patty Hearst had it, as did Steven Stayner to an extent. They feel responsible for their captor being captured or killed, they feel abandoned without their captor around, and so try to rationalize it away- the feelings of relief and freedom. Most who suffer S.S. don't feel like they deserve to be out of their captivity, because they've been in it for so long-"

"And they don't know how to adjust." Henry whispered. Carter nodded.

"Exactly." He turned back to the curtain. "I have to fix this. I have to find the man who did this, find her brother and get her home." He turned back to the others, searching their faces, before he walked back into the infirmary and pulled back the curtain. The others gathered in a small huddle close by, watching him interact with the girl. Jo was laying propped against the pillows, her eyes beginning to fall as the sedative Allison had given her beginning to kick in. "Hey Jo, how are you doin'?" She turned her sleepy gaze to him, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Tired." He gave her a small smile in return, taking a seat in the chair by her bed. She slowly moved her hand hand until she grasped his fingers. The others watched the interaction between the two; all noticed the way Carter seemed to slip from sheriff mode into father mode around the girl. She was his concern, she was his first priority. She was his charge, the one he was supposed to protect-

Maybe because he felt as though he'd failed to protect her twenty years ago.

_Making up for lost time._ He told himself, watching as her small, slender fingers wrapped around his hand and tightened. "I'll let you get some sleep." He stood, turning to go, but she refused to let go of his hand. He turned back.

"Stay." Her dark eyes were filled with unshed tears; tears that slid down her cheeks and dripped onto the blanket._ "Please."_ She sounded like a child, and Carter was instantly reminded of the scared little girl he'd seen glimpses of since they'd found her. Suddenly, the happy, smiling child was gone, the girl in the photographs with everything at her feet no longer existed, replaced with a frightened young woman, fearing for her life and not entirely trusting those who'd rescued her- save for the former-marshal-turned- sheriff who had worked her case those twenty years prior.

He nodded, returning to his seat. She gave him a soft smile, her eyes again filling with tears. A moment passed, before he reached out, brushing stray strands of black hair from her forehead. She closed her eyes, swallowing. He could see the range of emotions dancing across her face- it had been so long since she'd been touched with a father's gentle hands; he hoped she savored it. When she opened her eyes again, it was to lock his gaze with hers and asked,

"Where's Luca?" Carter shook his head.

"I don't know. We haven't found him yet. But I won't give up." He leaned close; everyone could hear his soft, whispered words. "I _promise_. I_ will_ find your brother and bring him home." As she finally drifted off to sleep, he heard her softly whisper thank you, and a smile tugged at his lips as he leaned over her, pressing a kiss to the girl's forehead. "I promise, Jo. And I never break my promises."


	5. Chapter 5

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

"Go home, Carter. Get some rest. I'll stay with her." The sheriff turned; Zane stood behind him, concern in his blue eyes. Carter sighed; Zane had caused sheer hell when he first arrived in Eureka, nearly two years ago- he still raised hell, usually just for fun nowadays- but overall, Carter had to note, that he'd turned into quite a fine young man.

_'The best ones are wild, like a portini mushroom.'_ He shook his head, as Sam Lovejoy's words came rushing back to him, before he got up. He turned to Zane, eyes tired. "If anything happens-"

"I'll call." He nodded, patting the younger man on the back and leaving the room. He cast one last glance back to see Zane sit, and reach out to take her hand. She shifted in her sleep but didn't stir. Once the sheriff was gone, Zane turned his attention to studying the young woman in the bed. She looked like she were in her mid-teens, not in her early thirties. Her long dark hair was down around her shoulders, coarse and thick, and her skin was a beautiful shade of olive, though she still appeared pale and fragile. She was thin, as though she'd lost serious amounts of weight, making her look more like a Holocaust survivor than a girl. There were dark circles under her eyes, and he could see the sharpness of her beautiful high cheekbones, her long, dark lashes casting shadows onto her skin. Her breathing was even, as though this were the first good sleep she'd gotten in years-

_It probably is._ Zane sighed, watching as she shifted onto her side. He studied the small, slender fingers he held, noticing the knuckles cracked and broken. Her hands were small, tiny even, and he wondered what it would be like to lay in bed with her on his chest, to play with her fingers after a night of making love. She shifted, catching her breath, and he stopped his examination. Her chest rose and fell slowly, her face turned away from him. He glanced behind him; the night staff were probably off in the lobby, leaving them alone. That they would trust him like this-

Well, they trusted him because Allison trusted him.

Eventually, Zane got up, slipping into the lobby and grabbing a magazine, figuring he'd need something to keep himself occupied while she slept. When he returned, he settled back in the chair, flipping open the magazine, casting a glance towards her every so often. She didn't wake; barely stirred, but when she did, it was with a soft, sharp intake of breath. Her eyes snapped open, and she slowly turned onto her back, to see Zane sitting beside her. He watched her, his blue eyes drinking in the pain that flashed over her features and the fear in her eyes. He quickly put the magazine down and scooted to the edge of the chair, reaching out to take her hand. "Hey sleepy head. You okay?" She winced as he reached out and gently brushed a tear off her cheek, her dark eyes darting up to examine his face. Slowly, he pulled away, realizing that the emotion in her eyes was distrust, panic, and hurt. A moment passed, before she pushed herself up and laid back against the pillows.

"What... are you doing here? Where's... Sheriff Carter?" He sighed.

"He went home to get some sleep. I... told him I'd look after you. Is that okay?" She seemed to consider this, before eventually nodding. They fell into silence for several minutes, before she asked,

"What's your name again?"

"Zane." She nodded, her mouth silently going over the letters of his name.

"Zane... what's it mean?" He started.

"Um... I... I never really... I don't... I don't know. I never really thought about it." She nodded again, thinking.

"The... original meaning is... unknown, but some... speculate that it could mean "God's gracious gift" in Hebrew. It's also... popular as a girl's name in Latvia. Another possible meaning could be 'beloved'; it's strong and spirited, wild. It does have it's roots in literature as well- the well known western fiction writer Pearl Zane Grey dropped the Pearl and wrote under the name Zane Grey. He wrote over ninety books in his lifetime; his most well known is perhaps_ The Lone Ranger_, that was published in nineteen-fifteen and made into a film in nineteen-thirty, it was originally a radio show. He had a son- Romer Zane Grey who was an animator. Zane Grey died on October twenty-third, ninteen-thirty-nine in his home in California from heart failure at age sixty-seven. He's... still quite popular today."

A moment passed, before he asked, "How... how do you know that? You read?" She shrugged, looking down at the blanket.

"There wasn't much to do. I read everything I could get my hands on- everything I was allowed. He always kept books around; I had to teach myself; he wouldn't send me to school." Zane nodded. He bit his lip. He could ask her, but there was a good chance she'd shut down and not tell him anything. Better to take a chance than not.

"Um... Jo..." She looked up from picking at the blanket. "What's... what's he like? Your captor?" Her dark eyes filled with something Zane couldn't identify.

"He wasn't my captor. He... he was but... but he wasn't..." She stopped, tears in her eyes. Gently, Zane reached out, brushing tears off her cheeks.

"I'm sorry. What was he like, then?" She took a deep breath, teeth sliding out to grasp her lip. "Okay, you don't have to tell me. It's probably still fresh-"

"Like it happened yesterday." She cracked, a small smile tugging at her lips. He gave her one in return, and she sighed, laying her head back against the pillows. "When can I go home?"

"Not for a while, Jo." Zane whispered, leaning forward, elbows on his knees. "We need to make sure you're okay. Make sure you're all right, that you're healthy and that this guy gets caught." He watched the panic and fear flash across her face, and Carter's words rushed back to him.

_"A captive exhibits empathy or sympathy for their captor. It's not uncommon, they feel responsible for their captor being captured or killed, they feel abandoned without their captor around, and so try to rationalize it away- the feelings of relief and freedom. Most who suffer don't feel like they deserve to be out of their captivity, because they've been in it for so long and don't know how to adjust."_

When he looked up next, it was to her dark eyes watching him intently. He swallowed. "Um... are you okay?" She shrugged, reaching down to play with the blanket. "So..." He thought back on their first ever conversation. "What exactly do you want to do when Allison releases you?" She seemed to think for a moment. "Besides go home."

"I guess... I... no."

"What?" She shook her head.

"Never mind. It's stupid."

"Not if it's something you want to do." She looked up at him, biting her lip. "What is it?"

"I... I want to have a hotdog. With everything on it- relish, onions, everything. And cherry pie. And chocolate ice cream. And... and a candy bar... and... and... popcorn, straight from the bag and... and chocolate chip cookies and candy canes and... and my dad's chili and cupcakes and... and soda and..."

Zane chuckled. "You didn't get enough of that stuff when he had you in captivity?" Her face fell.

"I didn't get any of that. He wouldn't let me. He hunted everything we ate. Never went to the store. I hardly ever left the cabin- except to go with him to the apartment." Zane nodded. He stood, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "Where are you going?" He turned back to her.

"I'll be right back, I just have to make a phone call, okay?" He whispered, before- and he had no clue what possessed him- he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead. As he slipped into the lobby, the feel of her skin still on his lips, he quickly dialed his number, silently ordering Carter to pick up. Ten minutes later,

"'llo?"

"Carter? It's Zane... yeah, I... I've got something you might want to know..." He glanced back towards Jo before continuing. "I think Jo just gave us a clue as to where he'd been holding her."


	6. Chapter 6

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

"What did she say?" Zane looked up as Carter entered the infirmary in civilian clothes, looking tired but relieved that something had hopefully come out of this. He sighed, before stepping away from the bed. He led the older man out into the lobby, glancing back at the curtain.

"I asked her what she wanted to do when she was finally released from the infirmary, and she said the first thing she wanted was a hotdog-" Carter held up a hand, confused. He struggled to speak, unsure of what to say, before,

"Zane, you called me here to tell me that she _wants a hotdog_?" He didn't bother to hide the exasperation in his voice. "Unbelievable." He muttered, shaking his head. "Call me when you have some real informa-" He turned to leave, but Zane continued.

"She said that he never _allowed_ junk food. That he _hunted_ everything they ate, and that she never left the cabin-" The younger man sighed. "except to go with him to the apartment."

Carter turned back around, shock in his eyes. "Cabin? Where?" Zane shook his head.

"I don't know. She wouldn't say." Carter nodded; Zane could see the wheels turning. A moment of tense silence passed before he moved past the younger man. Zane watched him take a seat next to Jo's bed and reach out to take her hand. Her dark eyes opened, a small smile appearing on her face.

"Sheriff Carter." He returned her smile, and gently, softly, asked,

"Hi Jo. How're you feeling?" She swallowed.

"Okay." He nodded, glancing down at her hand. He studied her fingers for several minutes, noticing the cracked and broken skin, the torn up knuckles.

"Good." Silence filled the space between them, before Carter took a deep breath and asked, "Um, Jo, I have a couple questions to ask." She waited. "Were you... kept in a cabin at all?" Her dark eyes shifted towards Zane, who ducked his head. A moment of tension filled the air, before she nodded. "Where?" The girl took a deep breath.

"In the woods, near a lake. The cabin was big- he said that... that a family used to own it. Dono-something." Zane's head snapped up.

"Donovan?" He asked, stepping to the end of the bed. Both turned to him. Jo seemed to think before she nodded slowly.

"Yeah. Yeah, I... I think so." Carter could see the range of emotions flashing over his face as he connected the dots.

"Jo, where is this cabin? How much time did you spend there?" She shrugged.

"I don't know where, but... we only stayed in the winter and spring- never in the summer, because the family always stayed there." The sheriff turned to Zane. The younger man shrugged.

"My... family would stay at the cabin in the summer." He whispered. "Rest of the time, we were in Boston." Carter searched Zane's face; the younger man looked sick, as though he were holding himself responsible for holding this young girl hostage. The sheriff made a mental note to take Zane aside and have a firm chat with him; to tell him that this wasn't his fault. A moment passed, before Carter spoke, choosing his words carefully.

"Zane, where is your family's cabin?" With a quick lick of his lips, the young scientist replied,

"Fifty miles from Eureka, tucked back in the Oregon woods."

* * *

"Are you sure, Jack?" He turned his gaze quickly to Henry before returning to the map of Eureka and the surrounding area he'd pulled. Carter had taken Zane into Fargo's office and asked him to tell him everything he could remember about the cabin that his family owned in the Oregon forests. And when Zane couldn't remember something, they'd called his mom and gotten details from her. The two had worked everything out; Carter going back to Jo and gently asking her for more details in regards to the cabin her captor had kept her in.

"So, what have we got?" Henry asked, watching the younger scientist and the sheriff work. It was amazing how the two seemed to unite ove a single cause- Jo. Carter sighed, looking up at his best friend.

"It's Zane's family's cabin. The one that Jo was kept at. He kept her at the Donovan cabin in the woods in the spring and winter, and then moved her to this apartment in the summer, when Zane and his family would stay there." Carter said, returning his gaze to the map. "Maybe... maybe if we search the cabin, we can find something he left behind."

"I don't know, Carter. There was never anything missing or out of place whenever we'd stay there. It just looked... usual." Zane said, crossing his arms. Carter turned to him.

"Well the least we can do, is check it out. Come on." And without another word, he rushed from the office. Glancing at the others, Zane followed.

"Carter! Wait! Now?"

* * *

"Is there anything else about the cabin that you remember?" She looked up from the copy of _Sunset Pass_ that she'd procurred from one of the nurses. Carter watched her close the book, and lay her head back, her dark eyes struggling to remain open. Zane nodded, hands on his hips.

"She likes... to read... Zane Grey." He muttered at Carter's confused look. The girl gave him a small smile.

"... bunch in... living room... of cabin..." She whispered, her words becoming slurred as the sedative they'd given her began to work. Zane glanced at Carter. He bit his lip.

"My... my mom's favorite author is Zane Grey. I... was named after the author." He whispered, glancing quickly from Carter to Jo and then down at his shoes. Jo gave him a small smile, struggling to stay awake.

"I knew there was literacy background in your name. A person... isn't given a... specific name without... some reasoning..." She took a deep breath. "At the end of the day faith is a funny thing.' Good night, Mr. Grey."

As the sedative began to work, and her eyes finally closed, Carter turned to Zane. "What did she-" The younger man shook his head.

"Maybe that she has faith in you?" The sheriff thought a moment.

"Or that she has faith in both of us." He replied, as they rushed from the infirmary.


	7. Chapter 7

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

"You know, the last time I was here, you told me that breaking and entering was a bad idea, _yet,_ you're having me do just that." The boards fell away as he worked on the door. Eventually, the plywood fell to the side and Zane was able to wedge the door open and slip inside.

"You're not breaking and entering, Zane. This is an active police investigation." Carter muttered.

"Tell that to the cops." Zane replied, pushing the door open and letting Carter in. The older man glared at him. "Right, you are the cops. Never mind." He turned from the sheriff to survey the room. The last time he'd been in this cabin, he'd been about ten-years-old, the June before his grandmother died. Slowly, Zane began to wander around, looking for evidence. Nothing in the living room looked touched, not a book was out of place. The kitchen was the same, and the rest of the cabin as well. Nothing touched, nothing out of place, not a scrap of paper or a photo to suggest that Jo had ever been held here. Slowly, Zane wandered over to the bookshelf. His eyes landed on the collection of Zane Grey novels, and his pulse skipped. "Carter, I found something."

He didn't look up as the older man joined him, just pointed to the cover in front of him. Slowly, Carter removed the book from what appeared to be a small display case on the top shelf and studied it. "Zane Grey?"

"My... mom had a first edition, signed nineteen-twelve copy of _Riders of the Purple Sage_, that she kept in a small display case on the bookshelf. It's... marbled boards and brown leather, with a red ribbon marker. She kept it here, because no one ever came here, and to anyone else, it would just look like an old book, not the treasure it actually is." He nodded to the novel in Carter's hands. "That's the book."

Carter scanned the shelf. "Seriously? Zane Grey? I take it your mom likes-"

"She doesn't like Zane Grey. If he'd had a fan club back in the nineteen-twenties, my mom would have been president of that club." Zane replied with a look of disgust. Carter chuckled softly, and then turned his gaze back to the book. If Zane said this was the cabin, then,

"This... is where Jo was being held."

* * *

"So, it's an old book-"

"How can you be so sure of that, Carter?" Allison demanded, cutting Fargo off. Zane paced back and forth in Fargo's office, while Carter went over all the evidence again.

"Because that book was my mom's." Zane interrupted, speaking up. "All I know is that she bought it at a flea market when she was in college. Loved Zane Grey from the moment she saw _Riders of the Purple Sage_ on TMC, and bought every book he wrote. Grandma told me once that mom always said that if she had a son, she'd name him after..." He trailed off, glancing around at everyone. "You get the idea. And besides, the cabin is exactly as Jo described-"

"Right down to the insanely large collection of Zane Grey novels." Carter muttered. The younger man rolled his eyes.

"So, what now?" Fargo asked, taking a seat on the sofa next to Grace. Carter sighed.

"I've roped off the cabin- not that anyone goes back there nowadays, but I want to try to get as much remaining evidence as I can. And I'm going to talk to Jo again, see if she'll give us anything more." So engrossed in the conversation, no one noticed Zane slip out of the room. He made his way down to the infirmary, slipping behind the curtain and taking a seat next to Jo's bed. The young woman looked up from her book, a small smile briefly lighting her face.

"Hello Mr. Grey." She whispered; he chuckled softly.

"How are you feeling, Jo?" She sighed, laying her head back.

"I want to go home. I don't want to be here anymore. I miss my dad. And my brothers." He nodded. They fell into silence, and she turned her attention to her nails, picking at her cuticles. A nervous habit developed during her time in the cabin. Zane watched her, before reaching over and seperating her hands.

"Don't do that." He whispered softly. She looked up at him, before glancing down at their hands. He gave her a small smile, squeezing her hand. Her dark gaze quickly darted away from their hands, towards the blanket around her. They sat in silence, before she asked,

"So, when can I go home?"

"When Dr. Blake says you can. And... you probably won't be going back to Jersey just yet. She'll probably have you stay here with Sheriff Carter or..."

_"Or?"_ He swore silently. Zane had hoped she wouldn't pick up on his silent implication that he wanted Allison to say that she would stay with him, but if the look she gave him was any indication, she obviously had picked it up. One dark eyebrow rose, and she waited. He sighed, a blush creeping into his cheeks.

"Or that... Dr. Blake would... let you stay with... me." He muttered, barely breathing the last word. She lowered her gaze to their hands, but made no move to remove her hand from his warm hold. She sighed, laying her head once again back against the pillows, dark eyes staring into him. He met her gaze, as a chill ran up his spine.

"Would that be okay with Sheriff Carter?" She asked; slowly, she began to play with his fingers.

"Would what be okay with Sheriff Carter?" Zane turned, to see Carter and Allison standing in front of the open curtain; Henry stood behind them, data pad in his hand. Zane quickly licked his lips, glancing at Jo, who gave the sheriff a small smile.

"Would it be okay if you let me stay with..." She glanced quickly at the young man by her side before, "Zane." She spoke, voice tired yet firm; no one questioned what she was asking.

"_No! Hell no it wouldn't be okay!"_ Carter replied. Allison laid a placating hand on his arm, before going to the side of the bed and taking a seat.

"I'm not going to release you just yet, okay, Jo? I want you to stay one more night, just for general observation, and then I'll release you-"

"So I can home to my dad?" She asked instantly. Allison shook her head.

"No, sweetie, I'm sorry, but... Jersey is out of the question, at least for the time being."

"So... I'll be staying here?" Jo asked slowly, not fully understanding. Allison nodded.

"Yes. Until we figure out who this guy is, where he is and where your brother is. Once we have that figured out, then you can go home to your family. Until then, everything has to be quiet. Okay?"

She nodded. "So... if I'm not going back to Jersey... am I going to be staying with Zane?" The younger man didn't miss the looks Carter and Allison shot him.

"You're not going to be staying with Zane! You'll be staying with me, at SARAH." Jo's brow furrowed at Carter's firm declaration. She opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again with a puzzled,

"What's a SARAH?"


	8. Chapter 8

******Rifiuto:******** Non Mirenra **

The door swung open. "Zane!" But instead, Zoe Carter's eyes landed on a young woman, not much older than herself. She stared at the woman in confusion before, "Um... Who are you?"

"This is Jo." Carter answered, stepping up behind the woman. He'd just gotten off the phone with Allison, in time to save Jo from having to try to explain. "She's new to Eureka, and will be staying here for a few days." Gently, he ushered her in, and Zoe stepped aside, studying the woman. She wore new, clean clothes, and her long black hair was haphazardly pulled over one shoulder. She seemed to fold in on herself, as though to become invisible, but jumped as the door swung shut.

"What was that?" She cried, turning to face the now closed door.

"Um... the door." Zoe replied. "I'm Zoe." Then, she turned to Carter. "I thought you were Zane. We were supposed to go out tonight- there's a meteor shower-"

"Mr. Grey?" Both turned as Jo's soft interruption.

"Um... what?" Zoe asked. Jo bit her lip.

"He was named after Zane Grey, the western fiction writer, who wrote over one hundred novels by the time he died in 'thirty-nine-"

"Fascinating," Zoe cut her off. "Anyway, we were supposed to go out tonight but he never-" Suddenly, the door swung open again; Zane stood in the doorway, holding something.

"Allison asked me to drop this off on my way home-" Zoe rushed towards him, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss, which he quickly refused by pushing her away. He caught Jo's eye, saw the hurt, fear, and confusion on her face. "How are you doing, Jo?" The other girl shrugged.

"Who cares about her." Zoe snapped, pulling Zane's attention back to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, reaching up to kiss him again, but again, he pushed her away, firmer this time. "Zane! What's wrong?"

"I can't do this anymore." He muttered, running a hand through his tousled black hair. He'd been struggling to think of a way to break this off with Zoe for weeks, and finally come up with the perfect solution. He glanced at Jo, who ducked her head and turned, taking in her new surroundings. "Look, Zoe, we have to talk-"

"We can do that at the meteor shower." She replied, running a hand suggestively up his arm, but he groaned in frustration and roughly shoved her away, not caring when she winced in confusion.

"No, _now."_ He glanced at Jo. Zoe turned to stare at the girl also, haphazardly connecting the dots.

"So... you've been... behind my back while we've been dating-"

Zane scoffed, sneering at her. "_We're not dating_, Zoe, we never were."

"But you're my boy-"

_"I'm not your boyfriend_!" He snapped. He was really beginning to hate this girl. He knew he was hurting her, but she had to learn. It had taken him days to figure out how he was going to tell her, and now, here was his chance, and he was taking it. Carter and Zoe's feelings be damned. He only wished that Jo wasn't here, pretending to explore SARAH while she listened intently. "I never have been! There is_ no us_! There_ never was_! We're just_ friends_, you got me?" Jesus, couldn't she take a fucking hint? When he said that they weren't dating, he meant they_ weren't_ dating! "Look, you're pretty and smart and funny, and I enjoyed hanging out it with you, but we were never together. Not like that. You've just seen what you want to see. I'm sorry. But there was nothing between us, and there never will be other than friendship. _Got me_?"

A moment passed before the girl nodded. "Got it." She whispered, tears in her eyes. A quick, fleeting pang filled his chest at the sight of tears sliding down her cheeks, but it was gone before he fully registered it. Instead, relief, happiness and calm filled his mind as he realized that Zoe would stop clinging to him like she owned him. "But... why? Because... of _her_?" She asked, snarling at Jo, who curled even further into herself.

"No. Because you're_ too_ young, and you're on the rebound, and I'm _not_ interested in you _that way_." He ground out the last two words, hoping they got through her thick skull.

"But-" Zane rolled his eyes, set what appeared to be a duffel bag down, and turned to Jo.

"You doing okay, Jo?" The woman refused to speak. He nodded, giving her a small smile. "If you ever want to talk, I'm willing to listen. See ya, Carter." And without a backwards glance at Zoe as she rushed out the door after him, he was gone.

* * *

"Can I get you anything, Jo? Coffee? Tea? Beer? Maybe some cookies?" Jo shook her head, not looking up from the pattern she was tracing on the island counter. She sat on one of the stools, wrapped in a ratty old grey sweater- the only article of clothing she liked from the sweatshirts and jackets Allison had brought in for her to choose from. The good doctor had let her keep it, and she liked the slightly bigger size, it made it easier to hide. Silence filled the bunker, and she quickly glanced out of the corner of her eye; Carter had taken a seat beside her on one of the stools, a glass of beer in his hands. She wrinkled her nose, and scooted away from him and the glass. "What?"

"I don't like beer. He... he made me drink it, but when he drank it, he..." She stopped, glancing at him. Carter nodded.

"He what? You can tell me, Jo, you know that." The girl swallowed. She shook her head.

"Nothing. Never mind." Then, she climbed off the stool. "Good night." Carter watched her go, saw her rush up the stairs. The girl was probably exhausted, not to mention overwhelmed. Being thrust into a new living situation- even temporarily- had to be hard on her, after what she'd gone through. Carter sighed, and turned back to his drink, but the look in Jo's eyes flashed before him, and he suddenly lost his appetite for the strong drink.


	9. Chapter 9

******Rifiuto:******** Non Mirena**

Her eyes snapped open. Someone stood in the doorway to the room she was in, watching her. She swallowed, fear paralyzing her vocal chords. A moment passed, before she reached out, fumbling for the nightstand light. When she looked up next, the person was reaching out for her; she choked out a strangled cry and flicked the light on. No one reached for her; she was completely alone. A moment passed, before she pushed the blankets back and climbed out of bed. The pajamas Allison had given her hung loosely on her small frame, exposing the sharp bones of her hips and the concave plane of her stomach; she didn't notice as she stumbled blindly out into the hall._ Someone_ had been here, in the bedroom. She instantly went on high alert; he'd found her, tracked her down, and was in the house somewhere, come back to collect her. Kill her.

Softly, silently, she made her way downstairs, groping her way around the house until she reached the front door. Silently, she pulled it open, and slipped out into the stairwell. It was even darker inside the stairwell, if that were possible. Slowly, she made her way up the stairs, one step at a time. Her hands curled around the banister, groped at the wall, and she was once again convinced that _he_ was right behind her.

The stairwell was cold, damp, drops of water clinging to her skin as she moved. Finally, she reached the door-

A hand clamped down on her shoulder, and she screamed; the sound echoed down the stairwell.

"Shh! Jo, it's me! Jo, stop! It's just me!" She fought, reaching out and scratching, kicking, biting, anything she could think of, until her captor grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and pulled her to his chest. "Calm down, Jo, it's just me! _It's just me_!" Carter's voice broke through the blinding panic and fear, and soon, she was clinging to him, head buried in his chest, sobbing. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, chin resting atop her head. "It's okay. I'm here, Jo. I won't let anyone get you."

* * *

"What the hell happened?" Carter looked up to see Zoe come downstairs. Her eyes were red from crying- apparently, she'd taken Zane's breaking up with her, even though they weren't officially dating, hard- and she wore a baggy LA Dodgers sweatshirt. "I heard screaming." Carter glanced at Jo, wrapping her hands around the mug of hot and then getting up. He went to his child, pulling her back up the stairs. "Dad, what's going on? Who's that girl and why is she staying with us, let alone in Eureka?"

Carter sighed. How do you explain to your only child, that the woman sitting downstairs in the living room is the little girl you tried to find nearly twenty years before? That she had been taken from a movie theater with her older brother, held captive not far from the town you were living in, raped, abused, beaten, and possibly watched her brother die at the hands of her captor? That her once cold missing persons case was suddenly hot again, and that you would do everything you could to find her brother and bring the bastard that did this to her and her family to justice? How do you explain that to a seventeen-year-old?

He glanced back towards the stairs, bit his lip, and then said,

"Zo, there's something I need to tell you." He led the girl into her bedroom, sitting next to her on the bed.

"What do you need to tell me?"

"That girl downstairs..." He swallowed. "That girl is Josefina Lupo." Zoe shook her head, confused.

"Okay...?"

"She... she went missing along with her brother in early summer of nineteen-ninety-one. They'd gone to see a movie and were taken from the lobby of the theater- she was only twelve when they disappeared. The last image is of them leaving the lobby of the theater. We... now know that she was being held at a cabin fifty miles from Eureka. That's why she's in Eureka."

"But... how do you know so much about her?" He took a deep breath.

"The... Lupo siblings was the... first case I worked as a marshal. I was twenty-two, I thought it'd be easy- find them hiding out in an abandoned house, send them both to Juve, and done, but..."

"No such luck." He nodded.

"We got nothing but... false leads and dead ends for... months, years after they disappeared. They were sighted in England, her brother's body had been buried in an unmarked grave in the Nevada desert, she'd been spotted in Vancouver. They led nowhere. I felt... powerless. I'd... promised this family that I'd bring their children home alive, and I'd failed. I hadn't been able to bring those children home, so how was I supposed to protect you?" He sniffled, tears coming to his blue eyes. "And then she... she was struck by a car on the road not far from the woods, and... and when I met her, the... the first thing I saw, was that little girl in the photograph I'd kept on my desk beside yours- a constant reminder that she had a family who loved her too, and that it was my job to find her and bring her home. And she slowly started to talk over the hours in the infirmary, and suddenly, the case took the forefront again. But... when she mentioned the cabin... she was held in the cabin Zane's family owned."

"What?"

"Held captive and abused, raped, starved, possibly sodomized... tortured for... nearly twenty years. And for twenty years, I combed through every lead, every evidence bag, every statement, hoping to find something to her wearabouts... and then she shows up-"

"But how do you know she's telling the truth, Dad? She could be lying."

"I'm not lying." Both turned, to see Jo in the doorway, arms crossed over the sweater Allison had given her. She sniffled, tears in her eyes. "Why would I lie? I don't lie. My dad taught me not to lie. You can get court marshalled for it." She said, eyes brimming with tears.

"Are you okay, Jo? Do you need something?" Carter asked, moving to get up. She shook her head, scurrying back behind the doorframe and peaking around to stare at the father and daughter. She watched; big, fat silent tears sliding down her cheeks. Her lower lip started to quiver, and she sniffled, reaching up to wipe her nose along the back of her hand; a chid's gesture. A moment passed, before she whispered,

"I want my dad. I want to go home. Will you take me home, please?"


	10. Chapter 10

**R****if****iuto: Non Miriena**

"Come on, you're probably starving. And there's only _so much_ of SARAH's cooking I or anyone else can take." Jo let Zoe pull her into Cafe Diem; instantly, all conversation stopped as everyone turned to stare at the new arrival. Jo instantly shrunk into herself, pulling the sweater Allison gave her tighter around herself as a form of protection. Gently, Zoe tugged her towards the counter and took a seat, waiting for the ravenhead to join her. But Jo hadn't moved; she stood staring at the other patrons, fear on her face.

It had been so long since she'd been out among_ people_; he'd kept her locked up, away from prying eyes, from anyone who could have saved her, for so many years, that she had no clue how to deal with the people in the cafe. When Allison had kept her in the infirmary, a curtain had been drawn around her bed most of the time, keeping others from her view, but here...

Here there was no curtain to pull, no door to lock, no windows to board up. She was out in the open, completely exposed. Anyone could do anything to her. Anyone could hurt her, grab her, violate her...

Her eyes shifted quickly, taking in the myraid of unfamiliar faces, unfamiliar smells, sounds and uncertain surroundings before turning and beelining for the door. "Oh, sorry!... Jo?" She looked up; in her haste to get away, she'd slammed into Zane. "You okay?" He asked, steading her. Her dark eyes darted down, and she forced herself to stare at her shoes, or the sweater on her body, or the floor, anywhere but at him. When she didn't reply, he nodded, and went to the counter, asking for his usual cup of coffee. "Actually, make it two, Vincent." He corrected, glancing back at Jo. In a matter of minutes, he was back by her side and leading her out the door, hand on her wrist, without so much as a 'hello' or 'goodbye' in Zoe's direction.

"Thank you, for... for saving me back there." She said once they were halfway down the street. He shrugged, giving her a small smile.

"No problem." She blushed, turning her gaze to her cup and wrapping her arms around her small frame. They walked for several minutes, coming upon the skate park, and after several minutes, took a seat on the edges of one of the benches. They sipped their coffee in silence, stealing glances at each other, ignoring the skaters on their boards. Eventually, Zane shifted to face her; his knees brushed hers, and he stared into her dark eyes. "How... how have you been doing? Since... since getting out of the infirmary?" She swallowed.

"Better. It... it's weird, staying at... at Sheriff Carter's but... but at least it's underground. I... I'm used to... to being underground." He nodded. "And... and Z... Zoe... she's... she's nice." She glanced down at her borrowed clothing. "You hurt her. That's what she told me, anyway." He sighed.

"I don't want anything to do with her. We were never together, she needs to understand that. But she's a kid, she'll take it personal until she decides to get over it. Besides, she still loves Lucas- her ex-boyfriend." He clarifed at her confused look. She nodded.

* * *

"Your vitals are good. Heartbeat's regular... everything checks out fine... How are you doing, otherwise?" She bit her lip, glancing up at Allison.

"Okay." She whispered. The doctor's eyes rose.

"Just okay?" Jo nodded, glancing back to where Zane leaned against the far wall, hands in his pockets, watching silently. Allison's gaze followed, and she nodded, suddenly understanding. "Ah, so a little more than 'okay' I take it." A light blush covered Jo's cheeks, and she looked down, fiddling with her fingers. Her head snapped up as Allison took a seat next to her, reaching out to lay a hand on the younger woman's knee. "How has Zane been treating you?"

"We... we had coffee this morning." She tucked a wayward strand behind her ear. "I... Zoe took me to the diner-"

"Cafe Diem." She nodded.

"And... I... I haven't been around other people in..."

"Twenty years." Jo nodded again, sniffling. "I know it's scary."

"I... I didn't want to go, but... but Zoe said... she said it would be good for me... to... get out... among... people." She tugged on the hems of the sleeves of the grey woven sweater- now that Allison actually looked at it, it didn't look as threadbare and horrible as it had when she first saw it. It fit Jo just about right; though it was slightly bigger than most would like, Jo didn't seem to mind the extra bulk. The younger woman pulled her ponytail over her shoulder, twisting it around her finger nervously.

"Jo, is something bothering you?" The other woman bit her lip.

"Um..." She cleared her throat nervously. "Wh... when Mr. Grey..."

"Mr. Grey? Who's-" But when she caught Jo's glance towards Zane, she put the pieces together. "Ah. Go on." But instead of continuing, Jo leaned towards Allison, cupping her hand around the older woman's ear. She whispered softly, before pulling back, a frightened and worried look in her eyes. Allison glanced towards Zane, who had enough sense to turn his attention to his PDA. When she turned back, she scooted closer to Jo, taking her hand. "Jo, you don't have to ask for permission to spend time with someone."

"But-"

Allison waited. " Go on, Jo."

"I had to ask per... permission for everything." Slowly, the good doctor nodded.

"I see. So, because Zane asked you out to dinner, you feel you have to ask me if it's all right if you can go with him?" The girl nodded. "What about asking Sheriff Carter?" Jo swallowed. "I'm sure he'd say that it was okay if you went out to dinner with Zane."

* * *

Alarm bells went off in Carter's head, upon hearing Allison relay Jo's request.

_"HELL NO!"_


	11. Chapter 11

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

"I don't like this."

"It's just dinner, Jack. That's all it's going to be; they aren't going to do anything-" She stopped pouring the coffee and went to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I know, that you feel like you have to protect her because you couldn't protect her when she went missing, but she's a grown woman. She _needs_ to experience these things on her own, without anyone holding her hand and telling her what to do. She never had these firsts when she was growing up because she was held captive for twenty years, so she never got to go on that first date, or have her first kiss, or go to her first dance or... hold hands or make out or go shopping with her girlfriends for that perfect date-night dress... she never got any of that. Let her have this, Jack. Let her have this first date experience. It'll be good for her. Besides, Zane will take care of her. He wants to protect her as much as you do-"

"He just wants to get her into bed." Carter muttered, reaching for his cup, but Allison stopped him.

"He's been real helpful with Jo; let them go out and have a nice dinner. Vincent promised that he would make sure Zane was on his best behavior." The sheriff sighed.

"I don't-"

"Zane is at the door, shall I let him in, Sheriff Carter?" SARAH asked, and after much hesitation, Carter relented. Zane wandered in, dressed in a nice pair of jeans, white button down, and a heather grey suit jacket that brought out his blue eyes. He twirled a single red rose between his fingers, and gave them both a small smile.

"You look very nice, Zane." Allison said, going to him; he took a deep breath, giving her a small smile.

"Thanks, Allison. Um, is Jo-"

"Jo will be right down, Zane. Zoe is helping her finish getting ready." SARAH interjected, and he glanced towards the ceiling.

"Thanks, SARAH." The three adults stood in silence, Carter glowering at Zane, who tried to avoid his gaze.

"I want you to understand, if you try anything- _anything-_ with her, I will see to it that you never leave my jail cell again, am I understood?" Zane nodded. He backed up, Carter had sidled up to him, getting into his face and doing his best to intimidate the younger man. And Zane hated to admit that it was working. Even as Allison laid a calming hand on Carter's arm, Zane backed up further, nodding but only hearing the threatening, protective tone in the sheriff's voice. "And if you even _think_ of getting out of line-" Only the sound of Zoe clearing her throat brought pause, and all three turned to see the Harvard student standing on the landing. Her hazel eyes flicked briefly to Zane, but his gaze had moved to the stairs behind her; Zoe turned. Jo was peeking around a corner, she soon ducked back out of view.

"Jo? It's Dr. Blake." Slowly, Allison moved to the landing, pushing Zoe gently towards her dad. She turned a soft, maternal voice towards the stairs. "How about you come down? Zane's here." She glanced back at the others, licking her lip. "Jo, you and Zane have reservations at Cafe Diem for dinner, you don't want to miss that, do you?"

Slowly, the girl came around the corner. And Allison and the others watched as she so very slowly came down the stairs, carrying something in her hand. As she got closer, they saw that she was carrying a pair of black heels, taking the stairs one bare foot at a time. Obviously, she'd never been allowed to wear heels, and so didn't know how to walk in them. Allison heard Zane inhale sharply, and she grinned. Zoe had certainly worked her magic.

The younger woman was dressed in a spaghetti strap blue dress, with a flowy skirt that fell to her knees and hugged her small body as best it could in the circumstances, and somehow, Zoe had managed to make that mass of black hair into shiny, glossy curls, so different from the tangled mass of a rat's nest it had been after she'd been found. The curls fell down her back, ending near the bottom of her ribcage, and she had a light splash of makeup on; accenting her dark, haunted eyes. When she reached the landing where Allison stood, she glanced around, nervously dropping the shoes at her feet. Instantly, she wrapped her arms around herself, looking from face to face, as though waiting for approval. "You look beautiful, Jo." Allison told her; the girl gave her a soft, nervous smile, before slipping into the heels.

"Amazing what a little hot water, some make up and a new dress can do for a woman, huh?" Zoe whispered, proud of her accomplishment, even if it drove the knife of Zane's break up with her further in. At least Jo looked descent, better than she had been, and she even looked happy to be in something other than t-shirts and sweats. Neither Zane nor Carter replied, but both had to silently agree. Licking his lips, Zane went to Jo, giving her a small smile.

"You look beautiful, Jo." He whispered. She looked up at him, giving him a small, trusting smile.

"Ah... thank you, Mr. Grey-" She didn't see the last step and stumbled forward; Zane managed to catch her, keeping her from hitting the floor, and she looked up, frightened. He grinned.

"I know I'm attractive, but there's no need to throw yourself at me, Jojo." He joked; it took a few minutes, before she let the small smile take over, and as he helped set her safely on the floor, he held out the rose. They all watched as her eyes lit up with uncontained joy at the simple flower with the bow around the stem, and she took it with a soft gasp of excitement, burying her nose in the soft petals, eyes closing as she did so. Zane noticed how the simple gesture of giving her a single red rose brought so much joy to her face, that all he wanted to do was see it again. When she finally lifted her nose from the petals, she looked up into his eyes with a soft,

"Thank you."

* * *

Zane had made sure to request a table in the back corner, away from prying eyes, where they could just talk and enjoy a good meal. Of course that didn't keep Vincent from checking up on them periodically, casting curious glances towards the girl with the haunted dark eyes and cautious demeanor. As he brought their meal out, the burly chef stepped back; Jo glanced his way, swallowing in fright. "Thanks, Vince." Zane replied, but still, the chef stayed. Jo glanced from Zane to Vincent and back, frightened.

"I'm sorry, I just... we've never been properly introduced. I'm Vincent. I own Cafe Diem." He said, going to Jo and holding out a hand. Instantly, the girl scooted her chair closer to the corner in an attempt to escape the other man. Zane could see the pure fright in her dark eyes, and quickly intervened.

"Vincent, this is Jo. She's-"

"Oh we all know about her, Zane. We all know she was found in the woods, we all know the work Sheriff Carter's doing to catch the man who held her captive." Zane's blue eyes widened in surprise, and Vincent quickly amended. "SARAH told Andy and Andy told-"

"Of course he did," Zane muttered, pushing his plate aside and folding his arms on the table in annoyance. "Is nothing secret in this town anymore?" He muttered, glancing at Jo, who held his gaze, slipping her bottom lip between her teeth. He sighed, giving her a small smile and then turning back to the chef. "Anything else, Vincent?" The chef shook his head, before,

"Just, one more thing." He turned to Jo; having dropped his hand earlier, he held it out again, this time, turning it palm up. A comforting gesture, showing that he posed no threat to the girl. With a glance at Zane, she reached out, laying her hand in his, and slowly, Vincent rested his other hand over hers, sandwiching her small fingers between his beefy ones. "I just want to say that I think it's atrocious what he did to you. I can't imagine anything worse than what you've gone through, and what you'll probably be going through for the rest of your life. But you have good people here, looking out for you. Sheriff Carter used to be a marshal, he'll catch the monster who did this to you; and Dr. Blake and the Deacons and Dr. Fargo and Zane here... they won't let you down. They'll take care of you. We all will. From the moment you first came here, you're ours. You're our girl, and we'll do everything we can to make this as easy on you as possible. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. We're all here for you." He patted her hand, giving her a small smile. The warm concensus that followed seemed to relax her slightly, and once Vincent was gone, she turned to her meal.

They ate in silence for several minutes, before Zane spoke, "I'm sorry about that. I was hoping you wouldn't have to deal with that tonight-"

"It's okay. It's nice to have someone who cares." She whispered, taking a sip of her drink. Silence settled between them before she asked, "How... how long have you been here?"

"Two years." She nodded, taking a bite of her vegetables. Zane glanced up in time to see a blush tint her cheeks, and he chuckled softly. "Enjoying it?" She swallowed, biting her lip.

"I... I never got... vegetables. Ah... most of the time, when we were in the apartment, he bought fast food. I don't think I could look at another hamburger without wanting to vomit." He gave her a soft smile.

"Well, Vincent makes everything by hand. All fresh, nothing processed. No fast food, so don't worry, you're safe." She returned his smile, visibly relaxing. "So... what do you like to do? Besides read?" She thought a moment, her dark eyes clouding over, and Zane mentally kicked himself. "Sorry. Never mind, forget it." Her teeth released her lip, and when she spoke, it was with wistful longing in her voice, recalling some long ago memory that had most likely kept her alive all those years in captivity.

"When I was growing up... before... my friends and I would... we'd go to the mall and... walk around; try on clothes and pose. Get ice cream, go swimming. We had this... big tree in the backyard of our house... with a zipline that connected from the attic window to it, and my friends and I would take turns sliding down it... I loved that zipline... I felt like I flying... I remember this one time... when I was ten... I went on the zipline and... it got caught on the leg of a chair and... when I tried to get it free, I lost my grip and fell... broke my arm; my dad found me. I was in a cast for weeks... but I still did everything my brothers did... I wonder if that zipline's still there or... or if Dad's taken it down..." She stopped, returning to her plate, and quickly, Zane reached out, taking her hand. He squeezed gently, giving her a reassuring smile that she returned.

After dinner and desert- Vincent brought out two pieces of triple chocolate fudge cake with raspberry filling that thrilled Jo to no end- the pair left the cafe, to a drizzling rainstorm. Realizing that Jo hadn't brought a jacket, Zane immediately slipped out of his and laid it over her shoulders. She blushed, but thanked him. "Come on." He took her hand, pulling her across the street towards the park.

"Where are we going?" She hurried to catch up, but as they reached the curb on the other side of the road, she slipped, stumbling into his arms.

"Careful, Jojo. The last thing I want to do is take you back to Carter damaged. He'll have my head." She laughed softly as his arms settled comfortably around her waist, holding her to him while she got her bearings straight. He leaned down to press a soft kiss to her lips, when the clouds opened up overhead, drenching them with rain. She pulled the jacket over her head, and he took her hand, pulling her into the nearest doorway. Their bodies hit the doorway, and they struggled to catch their breath. "We'll get going as soon as the rain lets up a little." He reached out and took the jacket, attempting to wring it out before wrapping it around her shoulders again. "Sorry, I was just trying to keep you warm and dry. Guess that didn't work out too well, did it?" She blushed, pulling the jacket closer to her body. A moment passed, before she lifted her head, dark eyes sparking with concern.

"You're shaking. Aren't you cold?" He shook his head, wrinkling his nose in nonchalance.

"I'm fine. Just a little chilled; I'll be okay." But she stepped forward, wrapping her arms slowly around his waist, holding him to her, in a small effort to give him some of her body heat.

"The last thing I want you to do is get sick." She whispered, looking up at him. He gave her a small smile, slowly sliding his arms around her waist to keep her close.

"Thank you." She returned the smile, tucking her head beneath his chin. He held her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. As thunder broke the silence, she pulled away, looking up into his gaze. Against his better judgement, he leaned down, capturing her lips in a soft first kiss.

* * *

Zane watched her delight as she slipped out of her heels and rushed towards the swing set, ignoring the mud coating her feet. The rain was slowly letting up, and after forcing himself to break the kiss, he'd led her to the park. Upon seeing the swing set, Jo had removed the coat and her shoes, rushing towards the nearest swing. He chuckled as she took a seat, crying out as the water soaked through her dress, hitting her skin. She seemed to take such delight in something as simple as a swing set, or a red rose, steamed vegetables, a slice of chocolate cake-

_Because she never had those things growing up. She didn't get to play outside or pick flowers or eat cake or anything else you got to. She was held prisoner for years, not allowed to go outside, not allowed to have sweets, not allowed to pick flowers. You take everything for granted; she takes nothing for granted. Put yourself in her place, see it through her eyes._ He made his way towards her, taking a seat in the second swing, swinging gently back and forth as she went higher. Her laughter floated back to him and he couldn't help grinning, even as she slowed down, eventually stopping. She turned to him, giving him a small smile. He opened his mouth to speak, just as thunder cut him off, and the clouds burst, sending fresh, clean rain onto them. Over the roar of the thunder, he said, "You're beautiful." She shook her head, unable to hear over hte roar of thunder, and he got up, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. They grabbed her shoes and his jacket as they raced fromthe park back towards Cafe Diem, and once in the awning, Zane pulled her to him. "I said you're beautiful."

She smiled at him, reaching up to cup his cheek. "So are you."

And before Zane could stop himself, he'd pulled her to him, wrapped his arms tight around her waist, and kissed her.


End file.
